Car-switching crane.



Patentgdv Oct.' 22, |90I.

FV. wElMAR. GAR SWITCHING CRANE. (Appuczion mea rep. 4, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet U2.

(N Model.)

i ml

UNITED STATES i PATENT (rrrci.d

FRED WEIMAR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TVVO-TIIIRDS TO i S. A.FRENCH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND'T. I). HEWITT, OF FREE- PORT,ILLINOIS.

oAR-swlTci-HNG CRAN.

srEcIrIcAroN forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,965. dated ctob 22.1901- Application filed February 4, 1901. Serial No. 453850. (No model.)

To MZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED WEIMAR, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCar-Switching Cranes,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in car-switching cranes,the object 0f which is to adapt a traveling crane of ordinaryconstruction to use in switching cars from one to another of a series ofrailroadtracks arranged side by side, as in the ordinary freight-yards.A

To such end the invention consists in certain novel characteristics, thepreferred details of which will appear in the following description, andthe essential features of which will be pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a complete apparatus and aseries of tracks which it spans. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same,showing the tracks in section. Fig.

3 is a side elevation of the portions of the ap-' paratus which engagethe tracks. Fig. 4. is a perspective of one of the wheel-engaging hooks;and Fig. 5 is a transverse section in the line 5 5 of Fig. 3, showing aportion of one of the wheels broken away to reveal the point of one ofthe hooks.

In the drawings, A representslav series of railroad-tracks, and B is atraveling crane spanning said tracks and moving longitudinally thereon.The bridge b of the crane is carried upon posts b b2, braced at b3 b4and resting upon flanged wheels b5 be, journaled in the feet U 58 of theposts and rotated when desired by means of suitable gearing driven bymotors ba bc. Means are thus provided for moving the cranelongitudinally upon the railroad-tracks, and a car C moves transverselyof the tracks upon rails be bf upon the bridge b of the crane. Thewheels c of the car C are driven by suitable connections with the motorc, and a second motor c2 is geared in an ordinary manner to drums cs c4c5 c6, carrying ropes c7 o8 c c, to the bottoms of which are secured,preferably, triangular blocks D, the blocks being hung from the ropespreferably midway between their ends and carrying at their ends links cid', upon which are hung hooks d2 d3, a perspective of the hook d2 beingshown in Fig. 4.. Each hook has a curved portion di, adapted to engagethe flange and tread of the wheel, and a guiding-lug d5, beveledoutwardly at d6, to assist in properly locating the wheels upon therails as the cars are lowered thereto.

Bearing-screws E are threaded in the plates D and provided withhand-wheels e, by means of which they may be turned toward or from thetruck-frame to hold the plates at proper distances therefrom.

In the operation of the device the car C is brought into position over afreight-car, the hooks dz d3 engaged with the wheels thereof, and thecar lifted bodily from the track and carried, by means of the travelingcrane, to

any desired part of the yard and lowered upon the proper track. By thismeans the switching of a great number of freight-cars may be donequickly and with but little expenditure of power and the capacity of theyards greatly increased by the saving of the moving of long trains backand forth, as is necessary in arranging the cars upon the proper tracksand in the proper places by means of the ordinary switches.

The details of the apparatus are immaterial to some f its most`important features, and for that reason I do not limit the invention tothe exact construction.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- Y Y 1. In acar-switching crane, the combination with a longitudinally-movablebridge, of a laterally-movable car thereon having hoisting apparat usand ropes depending therefrom, and car-wheel-engaging hooks supported bythe ropes adapted to engage with the periphery of the wheelsand havingthe hooks, d4, itted to the inner side of the car-wheel flanges;substantially as described.

2. In a car-switching crane, the combination with alongitudinally-moving bridge, of a laterally-moving carriage thereon,hoisting apparatus upon said carriage, ropes connected to said hoistingapparatus, and devices upon the ends of the ropes provided with hooksadapted to engage the car-wheels and having IOO guiding devices toassist in bringing the carwheels in proper position upon the tracks;substantially as described.

3. In a car-switching crane, the combination with alongitudinally-moving bridge and a laterally-moving car thereon havinghoisting devices and ropes depending therefrom, of a series of plateshung from the ropes having adjustable means for engagement with thetruck-frames to hold the ropes away from the car and havingcar-wheel-engaging hooks adapted for engagement with the Wheels of thecar to lift the same; substantially as described.

4. In a car-switching crane, the combination with alongitudinally-movable bridge, of a laterally-movable car thereon havinghoisting apparatus and ropes depending therefrom, and car-wheel-engaginghooks supported by the ropes and means for holding the ropes away fromthe cars; substantially as described.

5. In a car-switching crane, the combination with alongitudinally-movable bridge, of a laterally-movable car thereon havinghoisting apparatus and ropes depending therefrom, and car-Wheel-engaginghooks supported by the ropes, said hooks being adapted to engage theperiphery of the car-Wheels and having the guiding-lug, d5, beveled onthe side toward the rail; substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Chicago, in lthecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, this 19th day of January, 35'

A. D. 1901. l

' FRED WEIMAR. Witnesses:

CHA/is. O. SHERVEY, S. BLISS.

